II. Fill in the blanks. The first letter of each missing word is given.

Ann:

Good afternoon, Mary! What! Again you are …………. ?

Mary:

Oh you, Ann! I was so absorbed in my ……….. that I didn’t hear you knock. Come in, please.

Ann:

Whenever I come I always find you sitting deep in a book.

Mary:

Well, I take great ………………. in books, you know.

Ann:

And so do I. By the way you read, well, you are simply a ………………, aren’t you? What are you reading?

Mary:

"Jane Eyre" by Bronte. Have you read it?

Ann:

"Jane Eyre"? No, I don’t think I have. Is it a good book?

Mary:

Very. And ………….. too. Do you want to read it?

Ann:

I would like. Are you through with it?

Mary:

Not yet. You may have it in two day’s time if you like.

Ann:

Good. How much have you ……………….. of it?

Mary:

This much. And what are you reading now?

Ann:

A kind of a novel, but it’s just like milk-and-water. What’s this?

Mary:

That’s Fred’s book. One of those detective stories, you know.

Ann:

How can he read such penny dreadfuls!

Mary:

Well, he doesn’t read – he simply …………. through books. He has no patience whatsoever.

Ann:

How do such books find their way into print, I wonder? And the way he handles the book!

Mary:

Yes, I’ve been telling him time after time not to ………. the pages but he will.

Ann:

Say, Mary what’s the name of that dog-eared book over there?

Mary:

"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." That’s Fred’s book, too.

Ann:

Can I have it for the time being?

Mary:

I don’t think Fred would …………….. . But haven’t you ever read it before?

Ann:

Yes, I have but I’d like to reread it. It was quite a time ago when I first read it and besides its easy reading and ……………. too.

Mary:

Indeed it is.

Ann:

What about going out for a walk?

Mary:

With great …………….. . Let’s go.

Tom:

(after taking a glance at Dick’s bookshelves) Can you ……….. me a nice book, Dick? I’m fed up with reading thrillers most of the time.

Dick:

Oh, with pleasure. Have you got anything special in mind or do you want any ……………. author?

Tom:

You know I’m not over-particular. But just now I don’t care for anything too serious – I feel tired. Can you give me something for …………….. reading?

Dick:

(after picking out a volume) Is that in your line?

Tom:

The ……………. sounds promising. What’s it all about? Is it worth reading?

Dick:

It is. You’re sure to enjoy it. It looks like becoming a ……………….. . It’s had excellent reviews.

Tom:

Oh, I never go by …………….. , you know.

Dick:

But you can do so in this case. It’s a travel story, …………… and quite thrilling into the bargain.

Tom:

Thanks awfully, Dick. I’m looking forward to reading it now. May I ………………. it within a week or so?

Dick:

Yes, of course.

Cindy

The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

This is my favourite book because it’s so funny and original. Normally I hate science-fiction novels because they’re so serious and the people in them always seem completely unreal. Well, in The Hitch Hiker’s Guide there are lots of scientific ideas, but the characters are important, too, and what’s even better, they’re incredibly funny. Sometimes I even had to stop reading and close the book because I was laughing so hard. I don’t remember ever doing that with another novel. I liked it so much I just didn’t want it to end.

Rachel

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

This nineteenth-century classic is about a woman who’s married to a boring politician, then leaves him when she falls in love with an army officer called Vronsky. What she wants is an exciting new life. What happens in the end, though, is that she’s rejected by society and loses everything. Tragic? Yes, I suppose Anna Karenina is a tragic story, but it’s so beautifully told and Tolstoy makes the people seem so real that it’s not at all depressing...just dramatic and very moving.

Bella

Hollywood Wives by Jackie Collins

I’m not much of a reader, to be honest. Usually prefer to watch TV or go to the cinema. This book was great, though... I couldn’t put it down. Basically, the story’s about a group of rich, glamorous people in Hollywood... their lifestyles, relationships, and so on... which is a complete fantasy for most ordinary people, but so what? After all, literature doesn’t have to be serious and depressing to be good. I think a lot of people are really snobbish about books. They criticise authors like Jackie Collins because what she writes isn’t ‘art’. Well, who cares? Only a minority of people want ‘art’ – the rest of us just want to be entertained, and that’s why Hollywood Wives is my favourite book...

Carl

The Dead Zone by Stephen King

I’m a big fan of horror stories and this is simply the best one I’ve ever read. It’s got everything – lots of action... amazing ideas... weird characters… great dialogue... Plus, of course, it’s very, very frightening. My mum and dad don’t understand why I like horror stories so much. Well, it’s hard to explain, but maybe the best way is to compare it with riding on a roller-coaster. It’s a great way to get all the excitement of danger without actually being in danger... you know what I mean?

Believe me, if you haven’t read The Dead Zone, you don’t know what terror really is!

Mario

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I first discovered these stories when I was about twelve and I’ve loved them ever since. They’re brilliantly written, full of bizarre crimes and they’ve got a terrific Victorian atmosphere. When you read them, you really feel like you’ve been carried back to nineteenth-century London.

All the twentieth century detectives like Miss Marple and Inspector Morse seem really boring compared to Sherlock Holmes. That’s where Conan Doyle is so clever. He really makes you believe that Holmes is unique – a genius with amazing mental powers.

Normally I only read detective stories once. I mean, why read them again when you know what happens in the end? With the Sherlock Holmes stories, though, it’s different. Each time I read them I discover more and more to enjoy.